Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)

The Minister of State has pointed out the categories of household which will be exempt from the charge. However, there are still many left out who will not be in a great position to pay it. The amendment will include those who bought a house from 2003 on. It should actually go back to 2001.

Instead of the Government imposing a household charge on the 450,000 unemployed, it would be better off cutting their welfare benefits by an equivalent amount. The Government was adamant that it would not touch welfare payments but it might as well as it is hitting it indirectly with this charge.

Life is difficult enough for those on disability benefit without this extra tax being imposed on them. If the Government insists it has no choice but to do what our masters in Europe want us to do, I do not see how they can shoot the Government if it applies a greater level of fairness extending exemptions to those in negative equity, the unemployed and those on disability benefit and other assistance. If the Government had applied a greater level of fairness, it would not have this animosity towards this Bill.

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